Page 25 of The Billionaire's Classmate

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BONUS STORY 3 ON NEXT PAGE

3.Legal Pleasures

Billionaire Office Romance

Maria moved through the hallway, taking long, purposeful strides. She carried a thick file, almost overflowing with details on a case she had been working on for the better part of several months. She passed a few of her colleagues and gave them each a small smile and a nod as they went about their separate business.

Maria Hester was the youngest recruit at Elliot & Saunders, a top criminal law firm in New York City. She had been thrilled to receive the position after her internship, and she was eager to do well. At the same time, however, she was constantly on edge. This firm was known for the high level of competition in the workplace. Maria knew very well that if she was not at her best one hundred percent of the time, she could easily be swept to the side, and all her hopes of advancing in her career would be lost. She knew she would have to keep a level head on her shoulders.

Maria was an attractive young woman, with long, wavy dark hair, olive skin, and hazel eyes. Her body was well toned from her dedication to exercise, as she believed it helped her to stay sharp and full of energy. She was of average height, at about five and a half feet, but she often wore heels to appear taller. She was confident and determined to succeed, and her good looks would make her even more effective in the courtroom.

Her specialty was prosecution in homicide cases. Her mother had died shortly after she was born, and when she was fourteen, she had witnessed her father being shot by an intruder. Maria had been able to escape by hiding and playing dead until the man left and she was able to call the police. She had clearly seen his face, and had even been able to identify the intruder in a lineup.

Unfortunately, the prosecutor on her father’s case was weak, and was not able to overpower the murderer’s defense. Maria watched this all happened helplessly, and the experience changed her. She knew she could never get her father back, but she could at least find justice for other people like her who had loved ones taken from them.

With this new job at Elliot & Saunders, Maria finally had the opportunity to really take action. Not only had she accepted a job at one of the most cut-throat firms in the country, but she had relocated to New York City. This was an immense change for her, but one she was more than willing to embrace. She had grown up in a small town in Georgia, and after that she had studied law at the University of Virginia. Neither of those settings could have ever prepared her for the intensity of life in New York City. She felt invigorated and enthralled by the sheer amount of people around her. She knew that if ever she slipped, even slightly, she could instantly be replaced by one of the millions trying to make it in the city.

Fortunately, Maria did not let this discourage her. She had always been determined to succeed, no matter what the cost. She had graduated as the valedictorian of her class in high school, and she graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA and letters of recommendation from all of her professors, one of whom fortunately had connections to the law firm where she was now a recruit. She attributed much of her success to hard work, and she knew that in order to continue on her path, she had to keep a level head and succeed in order to be recognized.

When Maria got her first case, she had been enthralled. This would be her chance to prove herself to her new colleagues and make a name for herself at this new firm. She had jumped into it right away, eager to put her education to good use.

At first, Maria could hardly wait to get started. As soon as she opened the file, though, she was sobered up from her excitement. She was immediately greeted by the photographs of a crime scene, and the bloody remains of a girl who seemed to be about her age. She read the report on the autopsy, and examined the photographs of the murder weapon. There were even fingerprints, and they had a suspect in custody. All of this was good, but that was about where her luck ran out.

The suspect, unfortunately, had good reason to have touched the knife, as he was the personal chef in the home of the victim. It could be easily argued that the murderer had used gloves and fled the scene, and the chef’s prints were merely left over from his daily cooking. However, there were no signs of forced entry in the home, even though the alarm had been set. It seemed to Maria that there was just as much evidence pointing to the suspect as there was against anyone else. Her job, though, was to prosecute this man, and she would do it at all costs.

As determined as she was, though, Maria found herself running into dead end after dead end. After spending weeks on the case, she was running out of options, and growing ever more frustrated. She knew that she had exhausted all the resources available to her, and she had even made several phone calls to her professors. Alas, nobody had been able to send her in the right direction. Maria was beginning to feel the claws of defeat sink into her.

It was only as she was leaving the office for lunch one day that help seemed to appear before her very eyes. The elevators slid open to reveal the senior partner of the firm, and one of the most renowned homicide prosecutors in the country, having cracked over a hundred cases and landed just as many criminals in prison. She locked eyes with him, and he immediately flashed her a brilliant white smile.

“Hello Maria,” he greeted her.

“Mr. Boone,” she inclined her head in greeting.

“Please,” he gave her a wink. “Call me Daniel.”

Maria could not help but blush at the informality, considering his status in their field.

Daniel Boone had worked at the firm for twenty years, and had climbed his way to the top by proving his skill in the courtroom. He was known for his eye for detail on a case. He easily caught evidence and slips in testimonies that any other lawyer would have never even noticed. Maria had been beyond humbled and honored to get to work for him, based solely on his reputation. Standing before him, though, she was feeling more than just honored and humbled.

The senior partner of the firm was nothing less than absolutely, breathtakingly good looking. He was tall, over six feet, with broad shoulders. His hair was dark, but tinged with gray, letting everyone know that he was middle aged. His face was clean-shaven and his jaw was strong. His lips were constantly curved up into a slight smirk, as if he always knew something that no one else did. His eyes were a light blue, which could switch from playful to steely at a moment’s notice, a skill which served him well in the courtroom.

As if that was not enough, the man was exceedingly, ridiculously wealthy. His penthouse apartment had been featured in many magazines, and even television shows. He was proud of his collection of luxury vehicles, ranging all the way from classic muscle cars to futuristic European models. He owned all manner of fine suits, all of which were tailored to fit his frame perfectly, which only served to add to his physical appeal. In short, Daniel Boone was the whole package.

As such, Daniel had quite a reputation with women. The press constantly spotted him with all manner of women, all of them beautiful. He was, in every sense, a playboy, and he knew it. He had no shame in flirting with the women in the office, and seemed to have no fear of the consequences for such behavior.

Try as she might to be professional, Maria could not help but be attracted to the older man. And try as she might, she could not shake the suspicion that he was attracted to her as well.

No, she could not deny that she was attracted to the man, but she knew better than to pursue it. There was a strict policy forbidding any kind of misconduct between employees of the firm. As competitive as it was, she knew she could not afford to make even one wrong move, or someone would simply swoop in to take her place. Daniel’s position was perhaps a bit more secure, but she knew very well that there were many men and women who were just waiting for the opportunity to replace him.

Even so, now that he was right there in front of him, the temptation to give in to his charms was very real, and it was all she could do not to give in and play along with his flirtation.

“I hear they put you on the Alexis Miller case,” Daniel noted. “Not exactly a walk in the park.”

“No it isn’t,” Maria grudgingly admitted.

“Well, if you ever need any help,” Daniel smiled down at her. “You know where you can find me.”